


The Dog Dies in This One

by moodyme



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, First Meetings, Language, M/M, Meet-Cute, no actual dog dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 09:02:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17525771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moodyme/pseuds/moodyme
Summary: Adam is running on the treadmill at the gym when he notices the scary dude running on the next one over is crying. Cue awkwardness.No real dog death.





	The Dog Dies in This One

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in 30 minutes and didn't edit it, I'm sorry.  
> This is just me procrastinating.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

 Adam Parrish was exposed to a whole plethora of new experiences since coming to Harvard; food, people, experiences. Not to mention what he was learning in his classes. He worked at the campus store, picked up shifts at the library and gave prospective students tours as a student representative. But after quitting his various manual labor jobs, Adam noticed that he was getting out of shape, so, when his friend Blue offered him a free month's membership at the gym she sometimes worked at, Adam jumped at the chance. He found he enjoyed running, and lifting weights. He wasn't looking to truly bulk up, just more toned. When his free month was up, he had tried using the on-campus gym, but found it over-run with frat boys and only lasted a week before he splurged for a year-long membership at Blue's gym instead.

He was there now, on the first half of his 5k, head-phone in his right ear playing the lecture he had recorded for his Organic Chemistry class, when a man got on the treadmill the next one over to his left. Following gym etiquette and leaving an empty treadmill between them. The guy looked a bit like a gym-bro, shaved head, broad shoulders and arms, tight black tank top that showed off his tattoo, and sweats, all name-brand. Adam bet he had abs and was jealous of the grueling pace the other man set for his own run. 

 10 minutes later, and Adam was just about to finish his run when he glanced over and noticed gym-bro had slowed his pace considerably, down to a slow walk, and he was also crying as he stared at the phone in-front of him. Panicking, Adam pulled out the red emergency tab and ended his run. Gym-bro was wearing expensive looking wireless head-phones and must not have heard Adam approaching, so he tapped the mans shoulder and tried to steal a glance at the other mans screen but didn't see anything other than an add playing on youTube for TikTok.

When he felt Adam, gym-bro whipped his head-phones off and growled a harsh "What the fuck do you want?"

"Uh, are you okay?" Adam asked, taking a step back, surprised by the gym-bro's vehemence.

 "No I am not fucking okay. My shitty ass friend made me a playlist and I was being fucking nice by listening to it and he forgot to warn me about the dog fucking dying." Replied gym-bro, wiping furiously at his eyes.

 Adam, confused, asked "What dog?"

 "The dog in the song!" gym-bro exclaimed, gesturing wildly at his phone. Adam looked at it and saw the music video for 'Hips Don't Lie' by Shakira. He was more confused.

 "What song?" Adam asked, looking around to see if there was a gym employee he could flag over. 

 "Look, this one," Gym-bro said, picking up his phone and tapping around on it for a moment before thrusting it at Adam's face. Adam read the title. 'Marshmello ft. Bastille - Happier (Official Music Video). 

 "Ah," Adam said, suddenly understanding. "Yeah, that one."

 "You've seen this shit? Why would you put that in a music video? The fuck is wrong with people?" Gym-bro demanded, looking from Adam to his phone. Adam shrugged his shoulders in response.

 "Well, my run is shot. You want a smoothie?" Gym-bro sniffed, turning off his treadmill and stepping down. Adam hadn't even noticed he had still been slowly walking. 

 Adam gave gym-bro a once over and smiled, "Yeah, sure. Why not?" He said.

 "Cool. Cool. Uh, okay. Cool." Gym-bro said, and Adam couldn't tell if he was blushing or if his pale skin was still flushed from his run and crying session.

 As they walked towards the smoothie bar, Adam turned around and started walking backwards, something he had gotten good at since he began giving campus tours.

 "Hey, just to be clear here. Were you flirting with me when you asked if I wanted a smoothie?" Adam asked, though he was already fairly confident in the answer. The deeper shade of red gym-bro's face turned just made him more confident.

 "Maybe. Was it working?" Gym-bro asked.

 "Yeah." Adam admitted, turning back around and walking normally.

 "Cool." Gym-bro said, and hesitated, sticking out his hand. "My name is Ronan Lynch, by the way." 

 Adam took the proffered hand and said, "Adam Parrish."

Six months later and Adam was on a run outdoors with his boyfriend, Ronan, when he started humming the song that had caused the two to meet. When Ronan noticed what he was doing he stopped mid-stride, and shouted "You shithead!" playfully at Adam's back as he continued running, laughing.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by true events. I was running at the gym and I had never seen the music video for Happier until I was mid-run. I got teary eyed and had to slow down my pace. Thankfully, I managed to not cry in public, but it was close.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! I hope you had a fun time reading!


End file.
